


Spar

by Fandom_Trash224



Series: Fallen Obi-Wan Universe [2]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, cloneweek 2019, day one is related to another story of mine, why isnt that a tag you cowards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 09:49:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fandom_Trash224/pseuds/Fandom_Trash224
Summary: My day one entry for cloneweek!Day 1 - Brotherhood/Siblings/Friendships





	Spar

**Author's Note:**

> this is in the same universe as my fallen obi-wan fic, Shadows and The Things That Cast Them, so if you're confused, go check it out!
> 
> _A true brother is there for you, even in your lowest moments._

“What the hell is  _ he _ doing here?” Rex heard Bly hiss, and he didn’t need to turn around to know who  _ he _ was, but he did anyways.

Cody was wearing a tank top and sweats, his usual training outfit, as he made his way into the training room of the Coruscant Command barracks. His posture was stiff, and his face was almost  _ overly  _ neutral, and Rex knew it was because Cody knew he  _ shouldn’t  _ be there.

An uneasy silence fell across the captains and commanders, only broken by soft whispers and grumbling as Cody walked past. From Ponds to Gree to even the newer members who had only  _ just _ been promoted to captain in the waning days of the war. Gossip and news flew fast through the barracks, and news about Cody’s hand in Kenobi’s evasion of capture was something that  _ everyone _ knew.

He had gone from one of the most well-respected and decorated clone commanders in the Republic to a traitor on probation almost overnight.

When Cody finally stopped at a bench just off to the side from the sparring mat, Rex watched as Fox walked forward, away from the machine he had just been using and straight up to the other commander.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve showing up here,  _ aruetii _ ,” Fox growled, causing Cody to look up from where he had been wrapping his hands “After the shit you pulled.”

“Well, it was either here, or the regular training room,” Cody responded, his voice deadpan as he looked back down to his hands while wrapping them “I figured this place would be a bit quieter.”

“What the hell do you want, Cody?” Rex heard Ponds call out, and he watched as Cody sighed. 

“Someone to spar with me,” Cody said, and, ignoring the various scoffs of disgust, continued “I’ve only got a week left before I’m active duty again. I’d rather be in top shape for it.”

“You should’ve been court-martialed,” Fox said “You should’ve been fucking  _ executed _ . You helped a killer escape capture, the man who killed the fucking  _ Chancellor _ .”

“Maybe if you had done your  _ job _ better,” Cody snapped “I wouldn’t have been put into a position to do so.”

Rex moved a lot faster than his brain did, barely managing to get between Fox and Cody before the former attempted to launch himself at the latter. Rex managed to shove Fox away, the other commanders helping pull the Coruscant Guard’s leader back as he yelled insults and obscenities in a whole variety of languages at Cody, who simply sat there, unmoving, seemingly uncaring. 

After that outburst, the training room went back to its normal routine, though nobody set foot near the sparring mat as Cody and Rex sat there, not talking or acknowledging the other’s presence. At least, until Cody spoke, quietly and cautiously. 

“Why’d you stop him?”

“What?” Rex asked, eyebrows shooting up in surprise.

“Fox. Why’d you stop him from mauling me?”

Rex thought for a moment. In all honesty, he hadn’t even thought about it. It had been completely on instinct to keep Fox from tearing Cody a new one, even though Rex likely would’ve done the same thing if he had been Fox. Why  _ had _ he stopped Fox?

“I don’t know,” Rex replied quietly “I guess to me, you’re still my brother, whether I like it or not. If anyone gets to beat you up, it’s me.”

Cody looked at Rex for a moment, his eyes critically scanning the captain’s face, before the commander let out a soft laugh. 

“Alright,” Cody said, standing “Let’s get it done, then.”

/\

Rex lost count of how many time Cody hit the mat. He lost count of how many times he hit Cody, how hard he hit Cody, how many bruises the commander had gained, how many times Cody got back up, goading Rex into a frenzy of frustration.

At least, he did, until he heard a sickening  _ crack _ as a particularly violent kick hit Cody square in the nose. Cody hit the mat again, hands and knees, and Rex watched as thick streams of crimson began to drip from Cody’s nose. The commander didn’t seem too phased by it, though, as he simply wiped it away with his forearm, ignoring the fact that it quickly replenished itself as he stood again, his breaths shaking and body bruised.

“Woah,” Rex said, moving forward to try and steady Cody “Hey, maybe we should call it quits. You need to go to the medi--”

“No,” Cody said, although it sounded a bit stuffy “No, I’m fine. Keep going.”

“ _ Cody _ , your nose is  _ broken _ . You’ve got bruises everywhere, you look like you’re going to topple over. We’re done.”

“ _ No _ ,” Cody muttered, taking up position again “We’re  _ not _ . Hit me.  _ Now _ .”

Rex refused to take up position, instead, he opted to drop low, sweep-kicking so that Cody ended up flat on his back. The second he was, Rex but a single foot on the commander’s chest to keep him in place.

“ _ No _ ,” Rex said “We’re  _ done _ .”

Cody glared daggers at Rex, scowling as he tried to maneuver himself in a way to get Rex’s foot off of his chest, but after moving in a certain way, Cody gasped in pain, wincing and going still. 

“Fuck you,” Cody hissed “Fucking  _ hit  _ me,  _ hurt me _ . I  _ deserve  _ it.”

Rex’s eyes widened. “ _ What _ ?”

“You know I do. I’m a  _ traitor _ . I deserve worse than probation, everyone knows it.  _ Hit me _ , you fucking  _ coward _ !  _ Hit me! _ ”

Rex was glad that the training room had emptied by then, because he was sure the two would’ve had looks thrown their way from all around. Rex took his foot off of Cody’s chest to pin him down properly, staring down into his brother’s bloody and bruised face. 

“ _ I deserve it _ .  _ Please _ , just…  _ hit me _ …” Cody said, and Rex could hear the sob Cody was swallowing back as the commander spoke. 

“ _ No _ ,” Rex said firmly, his grip on Cody’s wrists tightening slightly “It’s done. It’s over.”

“It’s never over,” Cody whispered, and all the anger drained from the commander’s face, leaving only guilt and pain behind “It’ll never be  _ enough _ .” 

Rex frowned deeply at his brother, slowly releasing the hold he had on him as he sat them both up so that they were face-to-face. All the fight seemed to drain from Cody in an instant, leaving the commander looking weary and broken. It wasn’t a look Cody wore well, but it was one he had been wearing often, ever since he had confessed to keeping Obi-Wan’s location a secret. 

“ _ Vod _ …” Rex started, quietly putting their foreheads together “Deep breaths, okay?”

“I’m sorry,” Cody muttered, apparently not even listening to Rex “I’m so sorry.”

“I…” Rex didn’t want to say it was  _ alright _ , because it  _ wasn’t _ , because it wouldn’t be for a while “I know. I know. This isn’t the way to make up for it, though.”

“It’s the only way I’ll get the punishment I deserve,” Cody said, his voice a weak whisper “They wouldn’t do it, I deserve worse than what they gave me.”

Rex knew arguing wouldn’t do him any good. Not while Cody was in a state like that. So, instead, Rex sighed. 

“C’mon. We need to go to the medical bay,” Rex said, slowly pulling the commander to his feet and allowing Cody to put all his weight on him “I’ve got you, brother.”

“I don’t deserve to be your brother.”

“Yeah, well… You are anyways, so it’s tough luck.”

**Author's Note:**

> check me out on my star wars tumblr!
> 
> clonesdeservebetter.tumblr.com


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